A man who escaped the custody of Denham Springs Police officers Thursday afternoon has been recaptured, officials say.

Chief Shannon Womack says Nicholas Allen was initially arrested at the Americas Best Hotel when they found him allegedly with drugs, drug paraphernalia, and a gun with the serial number scratched off. He says Allen was recaptured back at the hotel where the incident began.

Officials say people at nearby hotels called the police department saying they thought they had seen Allen.

The chief says a responding officer cuffed Allen and put him in the back of a police unit. Chief Womack says the officer went back upstairs in the hotel to finish the investigation when Allen allegedly kicked the police unit’s door, damaging the window, and crawling out the window.

Denham Springs PD and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office searched for Allen with units on the ground as well as a helicopter in the air. However, they called off the search shortly before 4 p.m. Then, Allen was recaptured just half an hour later.